


Castanea

by ImperialMint



Series: left and north of where we met [kakayama week 2017] [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M, Old Age
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2017-08-01
Packaged: 2018-12-09 23:09:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11679036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImperialMint/pseuds/ImperialMint
Summary: Kakayama week 2017 Day 1: DistanceThey work how they work, but that doesn't mean they have to keep it that way. Two old men deserve their happiness, after all.





	Castanea

**Author's Note:**

> Obviously I have missed Kakayama week by AGES but will I let that stop me? NO!
> 
> I don't expect to be able to update this quickly at all. I will be surprised if I get a full set of 7 stories before December. None of them will be earth-shatteringly long (and at the moment earth-shattering for me is anything over 5k, we're in dire straits right now). 
> 
> I'd blame work, but I love my job (especially baby season) so I can only blame time itself. 
> 
> Still, all 7 prompts will be filled because I love these two old men and there are definitely not enough fics for them.

Birdsong filled the veranda, and Yamato sighed, closing his eyes. There was a small stream nearby, and the trickle of water began to lull him to sleep. The shuffling of feet was the only thing that kept him awake, and he smiled as the inn owner set down his tea and food.

“Thank you,” he said politely, and the elderly woman patted his shoulder fondly. They’d become friends over the years, and Yamato helped all he could whenever he was in town. He hadn’t been around in a long while, his mission taking him to Kiri and beyond this time, and she’d been pleased to see him safe.

“Do you need me to send any messages?” she asked, and Yamato shook his head instantly. There hadn’t really been anyone to send a message to in a long while.

She left him in peace after that, and Yamato sipped his tea slowly, watching the trees. They swayed gently in the breeze, and he inhaled deeply, at peace. It was the kind of peace that was hard won, that never fully lasted, but Yamato would cling to it the best he could. He wasn’t sure what the future held anymore, but there was no looking back now.

His hand shook as he reached for his chopsticks, and Yamato paused, smoothing out his breathing and re-centring himself. He hadn’t practiced for months to let his control slip so easily, and when he tried again, his hand was still, as if his body wasn’t on the verge of betraying him to age.

And what a funny thought that was – that he’d survived (lived) so long that it was his own body that was the deciding factor in what he could and couldn’t do. Age had been creeping up on him for so long, but Yamato had never really thought he would succumb to it. His hair wasn’t fully grey yet either, but night after night of sleeping outside surely took its toll stronger than it would have had he been in village walls.

It had been a hard decision, but there was no shame in retiring from the extended field. That was what Yamato reminded himself the moment he woke, and repeated throughout the day. Better men than he had retired earlier, and there really should be no shame.

What he had now was comfort and time. It should be a good thing, but Yamato could feel an itch building under his skin, and he sighed. His body may be ageing, but nothing could switch his mind off.

There was the sound of people taking one of the tables behind him, and Yamato shuffled in his seat, hoping they weren’t the loud sort. He wasn’t against human company, he just preferred nature. Yamato closed his eyes and sank back in his seat, and couldn’t help but tune into the conversation behind him. He frowned, a spark of recognition buzzing through him, and turned to the voices.

“Are you sure he knows to meet us here? It’s an obscure one,” the younger of the two people said, someone Yamato wasn’t familiar with.

“Of course!” the other person boomed, and this one was certainly a familiar face.

“Gai-san,” Yamato greeted warmly, placing a hand on the back of his chair and pushing himself up. He left his drink at his own table, but moved to the other table, standing at the head of it.

“Yamato!” Gai boomed, reaching out his hand to pat Yamato’s, overly friendly and cheerful as ever, despite not seeing Yamato in something close to ten years. “It’s good to see you, what brings you here?”

Yamato could see the other person looking at them curiously, and he smiled in their direction.

“It’s a favourite spot of mine, actually. I’ve just returned from Kiri, this is the first stop.” Gai nodded with a huge smile, patting Yamato’s hand still.

“It was recommended to us by a local trader, I’m surprised we hadn’t heard of it before.” Gai finally let go of Yamato’s hand, sighing to himself. “It’s been nice, maybe we can return another time, Mirai.”

Gai’s companion – Kurenai and Asuma’s kid, Yamato registered – raised an eyebrow.

“But we-“

“We have other things to get onto, I hear there’s a flower show in the next town over, and then of course we’re returning to Konoha. My precious student’s son is due to graduate to chūnin, which is why Mirai is here to take me back.” Gai was the sort of person who, given ten minutes of your time, would explain his entire history and future. It was refreshing.

“Fine,” Mirai said slowly, eyebrow finally lowering. “I don’t get it but fine. Let’s go then!” Mirai shrugged, downed her drink and reached for Gai’s wheelchair. “Don’t expect me to push you the entire way, I’m only getting you out of here.” 

Gai stuck both thumbs up, wishing Yamato well as they left. Yamato watched, wondering whether he should follow them home after all this time, but his feet were rooted to the ground. There wasn’t much that would take him back to Konoha, even if he did still consider her his home, and Yamato wouldn’t be moved for less.

He sighed softly and returned to his table. There was no use dwelling on things out of his control, and he closed his eyes, returning to the melody of birdsong.

“Here,” a gentle voice said a short while later, and a fresh pot of tea was set on the table. The owner smiled and Yamato thanked her. 

She let him know she’d be busy preparing for the dinner service, and if Yamato should need anything he was welcome to help himself (they’d been through this routine many times before), and she patted his shoulder fondly as she left. Yamato wondered if she thought of him a little as a mother did a son; not for the first time he wondered if she was how a mother was supposed to be. She probably was the closest thing to a mother Yamato had ever had, which was an awfully depressing thought. 

Succumbing to nature once more, Yamato shifted, his yukata falling open slightly. He was staying at the local onsen, another favourite spot of his, and had opted for comfort rather than practicality. He was retired now, there were other people to fight the big fights these days. He still had no idea how Jiraiya had kept fighting until his last, not to mention Ōnoki. 

There was a shift in the air, akin to the change opening a window brought to a stuffy room. Yamato inhaled deeply, wondering why he felt so at peace in the sudden change. He didn’t need to wonder for long, for someone else joined him outside, and Yamato shifted forwards in his chair, tensing with the sudden intrusion on his peace.

There was an exhale, a sigh Yamato knew in the darkest corners of his memory. His hand twitched in his lap, eyes widening as his breath caught in his throat, and everything fell into place. He knew Gai had taken to travelling with Kakashi on occasion, and Mirai’s confusion was now fully understandable. They hadn’t simply been passing; they had been waiting for Kakashi.

Yamato remained frozen as Kakashi moved behind him, shuffling forwards to the table Gai and Mirai had sat at before. He scuffed the ground and hummed to himself, a movement that was always followed by Kakashi talking to strangers. Or people he thought were strangers. Yamato would be offended that Kakashi didn’t recognise him by sense alone if it hadn’t been years since they last spoke, and if Yamato hadn’t clammed his chakra up. Travelling alone after following a notorious criminal for years had been extremely helpful in stealth training.

“Ah, excuse me,” Kakashi began, sounding as bored as he ever had, though his tone was polite. “I don’t suppose you’ve seen my friends, a young shinobi of Konoha and an eccentric man with dark hair?”

Yamato took a deep breath, clenching the hand on his lap that was threatening to shake. His control was above breaking over this.

“I even tried to be on time,” Kakashi was grumbling, good-naturedly. He was about to cross into Yamato’s eyeline, and now was the time to speak.

“They were here,” Yamato said quietly, registering the way Kakashi ground to a complete halt. “Gai-san mentioned they had a flower show in the next village to go to when I greeted them. I suppose he wished me to pass on their apologies.”

It hadn’t been about apologies, Yamato knew, but it was the best he could give considering his heart was racing in his chest and he thought he might throw up.

“Tenzō,” Kakashi breathed, and Yamato turned his upper body with the intent of offering Kakashi a smile. What he got instead was a mouthful of hair as Kakashi slumped on him, arms wrapping rightly around his shoulders. 

Yamato’s hand was still as he reached around tentatively, throwing himself into the embrace. It had been a long while since he’d had this much physical contact with another person, and he closed his eyes, suddenly afraid he’d start bawling after less than five seconds of being in Kakashi’s presence. 

They broke apart a short while later, Kakashi sitting at Yamato’s side, eyes roaming his face, searching for something. Yamato stared back unabashedly, noting how strange it was to see both of Kakashi’s eyes. He had many more memories of only one quarter of Kakashi’s face uncovered, and even now it was strange to see so much of Kakashi’s face when in public.

“Gai’s a great friend,” Kakashi said gently, fingers reaching to pull his mask down. He stole Yamato’s cup and took a sip of the tea, sighing in contentment, as if this was everything he ever needed. 

“He seemed rather excited about the flower show, but he’s always been enthusiastic,” Yamato said, resting his elbow on the table, and his cheek on his hand, turned to Kakashi.

“How long are you here for?” Kakashi asked next, words slightly more guarded. He hadn’t replaced his mask, however, and Yamato was warmed by how comfortable they were with each other. Sometimes connections never faded, no matter what people went through and how much space lay between them.

“As long as I want,” Yamato said, “though I will leave sooner rather than later. There’s supposed to be a rare eruption in the land of lava, I was going to head that way in a week or so.” Yamato clamped his jaw down. Why couldn’t he just enjoy what they had right now, why did he always have to put a limit on what they had and remind both of them they had an expiry date?

Kakashi nodded, eyes fixed on a point beyond Yamato, staring out at the nearby trees. 

“Are you returning to Konoha for the chūnin exams? Gai mentioned his protégé has a child taking part?” Yamato found it incredible that time had progressed so much that Naruto’s generation had children old enough to take the chūnin exam. Last time he’d been in Konoha, Naruto had been marrying, and that had been that. The kids had been but a twinkle in the eye, most of them anyway.

“Nah,” Kakashi said, slinging his arm over the back of his chair. “I’m on an extended trip. This was the first stop actually. I was going to see Gai and then…” Kakashi let his words trail off as he looked away, and Yamato felt a flicker of hope in his chest. Could it have been possible that Kakashi might have looked for him after?

“I can recommend some good places to stop,” Yamato offered, trying his best not to feel hopeful at the slight wince Kakashi gave. 

It had been a long while since Yamato had had to be brave. He drifted these days, in a form of self-isolation, and he wondered if he remembered how to be brave. He could do it now, if he could summon the courage. 

“Or I could show you,” Yamato said quickly, eyes turning to the wildlife around them as soon as he finished speaking. He felt Kakashi shift, straightening, and Yamato’s eyes returned to him. Kakashi looked shocked, and Yamato wondered if he’d made a mistake, misjudged Kakashi for the first time in years.

“You’d do that?” Kakashi asked, disbelief colouring his words.

Yamato blinked.

“Of course, I-“ Yamato searched for the words, but they failed him. They’d never ended the relationship between them, but it had been years since they’d seen each other. There had been no one else for Yamato, and he’d never really considered there could have been someone else for Kakashi. He wouldn’t be bitter if there had been – or if there was. 

Kakashi sunk lower in his chair, relaxing fully for the first time since he’d arrived. His legs spread, knee bumping against Yamato’s, and he knew it as a silent sign. Yamato pressed back against him with his thigh, smiling as he took a sip of his drink.

“I’m staying nearby,” Yamato offered, and Kakashi nodded slowly, draining his drink. They stood together, shoulders bumping as they exited the teahouse. Yamato didn’t know much about people in general, but he’d always thought Kakashi and himself had a bond that nothing could change, not even time.

They remained in silence until they got to Yamato’s room, a ground floor suite that overlooked more forest. If Yamato wished, he could remain in this room in want of nothing – the owner of the onsen would be happy to bring him whatever he needed, and Yamato had been tempted more than once just to hole himself up here.

“It’s been a long time,” Yamato said, and bit the inside of his cheek. What a stupid thing to say.

Kakashi gave a huff of laughter, sitting by the sliding doors that overlooked the forest. He cracked one of them open, brought his knee up and rested his elbow on it.

“I don’t think we could have done it any other way,” Kakashi admitted, and Yamato felt worry and darkness lift from him. He smiled and joined Kakashi at the door, opening one of them fully.

“I’m not going anywhere anymore,” Yamato said, and Kakashi let his leg slide down. In a move he didn’t really think about before he did it, Yamato pulled Kakashi’s foot into his lap.

“You will be,” Kakashi said back, and Yamato’s head jerked up. Kakashi reached up to pull his mask down, smile wide. “But we’ll be going places together.”

Yamato gave a small laugh, nodding slowly. 

“I suppose we can do that then,” he said, letting go of Kakashi’s foot as he made to stand.

“Come on then Tenzō,” Kakashi said, offering a hand and pulling Yamato up. He took it, rising quickly, face-to-face with Kakashi. “You can introduce me to the delights of the onsen.”

.

It was hot, and Yamato was suffocating. He lurched upwards, heaving in a huge breath, hands shaking. It took him a moment to realise that he wasn’t alone in bed, and Yamato looked to his side in panic, relief flowing through him when he spotted a familiar mop of hair. It was Kakashi. 

“Tenzō?” Kakashi murmured, and Yamato grit his teeth, willing his hands to stop shaking. He was useless to control them, however, even as he tried to regulate his breathing. Kakashi opened his eyes, the moon bright through the open doors, and shuffled closer, laying his cheek on Yamato’s thigh.

“I don’t want to leave you again,” Kakashi said quietly, as if he was confessing something he’d only dared dream of. “I had work before, and then I travelled for the most part, but… forget this bullshit about the village being everything a ninja needs. I need you.”

Yamato felt his throat tighten, and one trembling hand settled on Kakashi’s head, the other spreading out against the sheets. 

“Maybe I’ve gone soft in my old age, or maybe Naruto rubbed off on me too much, but I don’t want to give up what I love. It worked for us back then, but I don’t want it to work for us now.” Kakashi rolled over, looking up at Yamato. His mouth was set in a worried line, and Yamato smoothed his fingers against Kakashi’s cheek tenderly.

“I’m done with this long-distance thing,” Yamato said, belatedly realising his hands had stopped shaking. “I was done a long time ago, but I didn’t realise until now.”

Kakashi leant into his touch, closing his eyes. 

“I’m going to take you to this mountain where the flowers bloom all year around. We’re going to see the migration of the cranes too, the ones that fly over Kiri in the biggest lightning storms of the year. We’ll go to the Naruto bridge and send a picture of us looking like idiot tourists to Naruto, I bet he’ll love that.” Yamato sniffed, fear and excitement 

“Let’s get back to sleep then,” Kakashi said gently, pulling Yamato down and adjusting them both until they were wrapped around each other. “We’ll need our strength if we’re going off adventuring right away.”

Yamato pressed his forehead against Kakashi’s. “I’m open to the idea of staying here for a little while more, just to enjoy the full effects of the onsen’s regenerative water properties.” 

Kakashi saw through him, as Yamato knew he would.

“You just want to wake up late and cuddle,” he said, and Yamato closed his eyes, smiling. There was no point denying it, and there was no way Kakashi would disagree with him anyway.

They had nothing to rush for anymore. Time stretched before them, and they had the world before them. It was time for their adventure together.

Who said growing old was the end of the world? It was just the start.


End file.
